1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a grip for a golf club, and more particularly, to a grip for a golf putter.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The art of golf putters has been extremely well-developed since the game was first developed centuries ago. Various materials have been used for golf club shafts, ranging from hickory and willow to metals and space age technology graphite reinforced resin composites. At the present time, most golf club shafts are made of steel that is then chrome plated and a rubber or composition grip is then glued to the shaft. Steel shafts are usually continuously tapered or step-tapered from a thin tip end to the handle or butt end and are designed with flexibility characteristics for wood or iron head clubs intended to be swung for full or partial shots rather than for putters. These same steel shafts are then cut down to a length appropriate for putter shafts.
Ingenuous golf putter developments in the past have resulted in various configurations, including those having single and double bend steel shafts; straight steel shafts with or without fluting over a portion of their length; and straight shafts made of other materials, such as fiberglass or graphite composites and alloys. Apart from special bends or fluting, most shafts used in prior art putters are ordinary steel shafts not specially constructed for putter use. The butt or handle ends of these shafts generally have a circular cross-section having a typical diameter in the range of from 0.580-0.600 inches for receiving a grip of rubber or leather or other non-slip, generally soft material. The exterior grip configuration may vary within the Official Rules Of Golf. However, it is generally most desirable to have a grip configuration that complies with the dimensions outlined by the Official Rules Of Golf as promulgated by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews and the United States Golf Association (hereinafter "R & A standards and rules"). A copy of the Rules Of Golf For Design Of Clubs is attached as Appendix A.
In direct contrast with golf club shafts intended for woods and irons, where achieving maximum distance is one of the major objectives accomplished by cocking of the wrists on the back swing and uncorking or release of the wrists on the down swing to generate high club head speed, putters should have stiff shafts and the golfer's wrists preferably should not break when executing a putting stroke. A good putting stroke is quite the opposite in that it is accepted wisdom in teaching circles that the golfer should not cock or break his wrists during the putting stroke. Instead, the triangle formed by a golfer's shoulders and arms is generally kept in a constant configuration to control speed and direction of the putt. This suggests that the ideal putter should have characteristics that assist the golfer in keeping his wrists stiff or firmly locked when putting. Accordingly, the handle should be configured (preferably in conformity with R & A standards and rules) to assist the golfer in keeping his wrists firm during the putting stroke.
"Letting the club do the work" doesn't apply to putting. Since centrifugal force has little relevance in a putter's stroke, in comparison to other golf shots, it is particularly difficult for the golfer to keep the putter club head square on the correct path to the hole for the entire swing of the club. If the golfer has any doubt about the trajectory of the club head, he will try to correct the path or the angle of the club head during the stroke. This doubt is natural since it is the result of visual bearings that are frequently contradictory in the golfer's mind to the location of the hole. Accordingly, negative side effects will be produced by the fingers, the hands, the wrists, or by any other part of the body when the golfer attempts to address his concerns about the trajectory of the club head. Thus, a pendulum stroke is widely accepted as being the best way to strike a ball on the putting green.